Spawning displacement
Spawning displacement is a technique that allows Mario to receive one frame of displacement from a moving platform when spawning, hence the name. It is exclusive to the Japanese version. Spawning displacement occurs when Mario exits the level (typically by pausing and exiting), but will only trigger if Mario is standing on either a moving object whose slot will not be replaced by a non-moving object after unloading, or any object which will be replaced by a moving object after it unloads. To perform this, stand on an object that meets the criteria for spawning displacement, then exit the level. The result is Mario will be displaced from his typical spawning position.[1]
Criteria
Due to the way the game processes Mario's movement along moving objects, spawning displacement can only be used with some objects. For spawning displacement to work, the object must not be replaced by another object within the level Mario is about to spawn in (typically The Castle). An exception to this is if the said object has nonzero rotation/translation after 1 frame, in which Mario will be moved by that object instead, also known as reverse spawning displacement.[2]
Furthermore, there are multiple ways to exit a level that can trigger spawning displacement:
Application
In the A Button Challenge, Mario can utilize spawning displacement to re-enter Tick Tock Clock. This is done by standing on a spinner and collecting a Star. Once the spinner rotates, it displaces Mario to land on the edge of the clock next to the painting, thereby saving the A press needed to enter TTC. This is done twice in the 120 star run, saving two A presses due to the strict requirements only being applicable with two stars:
- Stop Time for Red Coins by standing on a spinner and cloning it.[3]
- The Pit and the Pendulums by kicking a wall as he collects the star, to land on the spinners below.[4]
Variations
Reverse spawning displacement
Reverse spawning displacement is similar to spawning displacement, but instead of exiting a level on a moving object and being displaced by it, Mario exits the level standing on the object whose slot will be loaded by a moving object. Since the castle has no viable candidates, the only way to perform this is by dying on an object and letting the demo play.
Teleport displacement
Teleport displacement is a different type of platform displacement that is not exclusive to the Japanese version. To perform it, clone a teleport point near a moving object so that said object will move after Mario has initiated the teleport. As a result, Mario will be displaced from the teleport's destination. Due to these very rare conditions, this can only be performed in Wet-Dry World, since this is the only level in which you can clone a teleporter (via loading zone) that has a moving platform.[5]